Skull & Crossbones Relocated Cab

The cab was moved by Emmit Smith by helicopter to Horseshoe Basin, for use with his cattle grazing permit on National Forest land. This area soon became part of the Pasayten Wilderness. His permit continued in 1968 when the eastern part of the North Cascades Primitive Area became the Pasayten Wilderness. It is unknown for now how long the cabin remained, if it was torn down, or if the Smith family moved it once again. Grazing was one of the earliest uses of the National Forests. The Smith family had been using Horseshoe Basin since his father Roscoe “Ross” Smith, also a sheepman, obtained a permit in 1917. In 1938, that permit was passed down to his sons.

Someone needs to visit and locate the former cabin location to see if it was burned, razed, or removed. Next to the cabin was enough area to have a landing strip, so finding the location should not be difficult. Smith had exclusive rights to land a plane in wilderness since the landing strip was previously established prior to wilderness.

Unknown fate, site visit needed.

Below is a letter from the North Cascades Conservation Council written by Harvey Manning to the Okanogan National Forest Supervisor. Look at questions 1 and 2.

Below is the response of the Okanogan National Forest to Harvey Manning. Look at the response to questions 1 and 2.

Sheep in Horseshoe Basin in 1966

From a book on National Forests in the Pacificnorthwest published in 1967

Aerial view of what my guess was the location of the airstrip.

Where I am guessing the airstrip was located (black line I drew on map).

1968 aerial view of Horseshoe Basin where the structure was on USGS maps.

1959 USGS map. Maps of this time period are showing a structure mark (small black square) at the most flat area in Horseshoe Basin. Marked at the edge of treeline at the edge of a hillside where the background would match the image we have of the structure.

Photo of the Emmett Smith ranching family in Horseshoe Basin

Skull and Crossbones cab in Horseshoe Basin

Some Horseshoe Basin History:

Even more history can be found at:

Emmet at the cab in 1969

Emmet and Gene around 1955